Burglars hit shops, loot goods, cash worth Rs 1.5 lakh

Burglars broke into at least 17 garment shops in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar area and looted cash and valuables estimated to be more than R1.5 lakh on Saturday night, the police said.

Burglars broke into at least 17 garment shops in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar area and looted cash and valuables estimated to be more than Rs 1.5 lakh on Saturday night, the police said.

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Saturday night incident was reported just days after a similar robbery was reported from three shops across two adjacent blocks in Shakarpur area, also in east Delhi. Cash and valuables amounting to more than R6 lakh were reportedly burgled then.

"The incidents have been reported from the cloth market located in gali number 2, Suhbash Chowk. The assailants seem to have broken into at least 17 shops and decamped with cash and valuables," said a senior police officer.

The incident came to light on Sunday morning when the cloth traders found the locks of their shops broken and intimated the police control room.

"I discovered that my shop had been broken into when I reached around 9am. All the money in the cash box was missing while the merchandise had been left untouched. When I told some of my fellow shopkeepers about it they said that their shops had also been burgled in a similar manner," said Sahil Kumar of Gagan Garments, one of the shops that was targeted.

The police said the scene of crime was thoroughly investigated and forensic evidence was collected from the spot.

"The market has a common entrance through which the assailants seem to have gained entry before breaking open the padlocks of the shops using iron rods and other similar equipment. We are suspecting the role of an insider in the incident," the officer said.